


i never even had a chance you know (you had me from hello)

by wonderwalls



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Marriage Proposal, NIALL IS THE BIGGEST LARRY SHIPPER OK, Pining, frick, harry is such an idiot, i just realized zayn is mentioned like once i'm so sorry, i just really like harry being all in love with louis and agonizing over it, idk where this came from, larry proposal makes me so emotional just give me a minute pls, narry bromance stuff whooo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-20
Updated: 2014-02-20
Packaged: 2018-01-13 04:02:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1211962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderwalls/pseuds/wonderwalls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry suffers a severe case of falling in love at first sight and accidentally purchasing a symbol of lifelong commitment and then lacking the courage to remove said symbol from his sock drawer for four years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i never even had a chance you know (you had me from hello)

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write a happy thing idk. I basically got this idea from The Office when Jim bought a ring for Pam two weeks after starting to date her, except I made Harry way more infatuated and stupid and impulsive and also prone to overthinking things. This is probably from from my intense belief that Harry is totally an idiot when it comes to being in love with Louis. Unbeta'd :( Hope you enjoy!!!!!
> 
> oh yeah and title from You Had Me From Hello by Kenny Chesney (BECAUSE OOPS AND HI FEELINGS OH NO)

Harry has known Louis for a grand total of two hours when he buys the engagement ring. He chalks it up to being drunk- not with alcohol, with the smell of Louis' skin fresh in his mind and the sound of his laugh ringing in his ears. Also, Harry is a particularly weak individual. It's a moment of embarrassing infatuation, and Harry buries it deep in his sock drawer when he gets home and vows not to think about it. 

Harry's phone lights up with a text from _Lou :)_ and his stomach and heart switch places and he decides that his life is effectively ruined, thanks to the boy in his English class. 

\- 

Harry is going to return the ring. Really. He sets it on the passenger seat and glances over at it the whole drive because he's kind of afraid it's going to explode or swallow him or something, seeing as it's already caused such a turmoil in Harry's life. 

He misses the turn and keeps driving, and he really was going to return it, but he's running late for English.

-

It goes back into the sock drawer, and Harry finds a lot of excuses not to wear socks after that. 

-

"Are you going to keep hyperventilating at me every day or are you going to ask me on a date already, Styles?" Louis says. It's not like it's Harry's fault Louis wore those pants that make his thighs look fantastic today, and he can hardly be blamed for having breathing problems as a result of it. 

"Uh," Harry says. 

"Pick me up at six," Louis says, and that's that. 

He doesn't contemplate bringing the ring. He doesn't. 

-

It's a whirlwind of Louis and Louis and _Louis_ from there on out. Their first kiss is while they're sitting on a bench on campus and Harry's telling a really funny story about when he left his pack of gum on the bus, and Louis just leans right over and presses his lips against Harry's. 

"Oh," Harry says afterward. 

"I only did that to shut you up," Louis says fondly, and Harry isn't sure if he's offended (it really is one of his best stories) or absolutely one-hundred percent in love with Louis Tomlinson. It's probably the second, because Harry digs out the ring as soon as he gets home to make sure it matches Louis' skin just right. 

And, God, he's been a goner since Day One. 

-

The problem is, Louis is a partier. He stays out late and gets absolutely smashed and stumbles in through Harry's door instead of his own more often than not, and Harry isn't really sure how to feel about that. Because, like, all Harry wants is a nice house and a few kids and every episode of The Great British Bake-Off on DVR and a cat, probably. 

The ring sits in the drawer, and Harry curls up next to Louis, who's totally unconscious after another night out, and he wonders if it's all for nothing. 

He sure as hell hopes it's not. 

-

Three years after they meet, Harry's little fascination with possibly marrying Louis sometime in the future maybe becomes an overwhelming _marry him marry him marry him_ pounding through his head 24/7. It's disgusting, really, that Harry comes home and sees Louis screaming at the football players on TV and immediately writes wedding vows in his head, and how when Louis throws up in the sink after too much to drink, Harry wants nothing more than to say I Do, and how Louis is physically unable to carry his used socks from the bedroom floor to the laundry room but his laugh still sounds like wedding bells to Harry. Absolutely unacceptable. Not healthy, even. Harry still wants to marry him though, desperately.

So all there's left to do is ask, and Harry's waiting for the stars to align, because he is superstitious and also lacks decision-making skills.

-

Harry wakes up one morning to Louis shoving a cat in his face, "He was just wandering the hall, look at that, Harry! What do cats eat? Can they have cereal? Shit, I forgot to buy milk, do you think he'll mind? Is it a he?" Harry follows him out in a daze, still half asleep as Louis pours Cap'n Crunch for a stray cat. The Great British Bake-Off re-runs are playing on the TV. Harry barely has time to register this before the phone rings, and suddenly Louis is shouting at him to, "grab the bag, holy shit, she's in labor, what do we do with the cat? Harry? We can't just leave him alone, oh my God, Harry, my mum's having more babies, what the fuck," and that's when Harry knows. 

Harry makes the executive decision to leave the cat with the neighbor (only temporarily, he promises) because Louis is not exactly in his right mind. As they drive and Louis hyperventilates, Harry sees a For Sale sign on a big white house with a pretty front yard. This causes him to hyperventilate too. Fate is throwing him all the signs at once today, apparently. 

"Fucking drive faster, Jesus Christ," Louis demands. 

Harry is feeling a little dizzy. 

Later, as Louis holds his baby brother and makes little cooing sounds that cause Harry's heart to seize up, and Harry holds his sister in the chair beside him, he realizes it's been four years. They're most of the way through university, and they are actually looking for real _jobs_ and paying _rent,_ and all sorts of adult stuff, and this is, like. This is it. Harry's not going anywhere. And he realizes that Louis seems more content these days to curl up with tea and let Harry watch his baking shows than go get drunk at some club. And, Harry's so in love it hurts sometimes, way deep down. 

Harry never returned the engagement ring either, and maybe this is all just a coincidence, or maybe it's fate. Either way, Harry intends to marry Louis Tomlinson before he dies. 

-

Liam finds out first, when they're all hanging out and playing FIFA and Harry's hand seems suspiciously stuck to the inside of his pocket.

"Whatcha hiding in there mate?" he asks casually from the doorway of the kitchen while Harry gets more salsa. 

Harry freezes, quickly glancing around for a way out. There's a window, but they're on the fourth floor, and the sidewalk is icy. Liam has him cornered. 

"Um," Harry says. "I'm- it's just-"

"Would you just fucking ask him? How do you find it possible to pine from afar while simultaneously dating the guy?" Liam throws up his hands.

"M'not _pining,_ " Harry protests.

"You are totally pining for him to be your husband, you idiot," Liam points out. He's a terrible friend, really. Harry doesn't know why they keep him around.

"I just... I don't want him to say no," Harry sighs.

"He's not going to say _no,_ my God. Do you even see the way he looks at you? You two make me sick, really."

Harry blushes and looks down, and feels Liam's hand on his shoulder a second later. "Hey. You'll be fine. I swear on my mum's grave- _Loki's_ grave- that he will say yes. Don't be stupid."

"Thanks, Li," Harry mumbles. He goes back to scooping salsa into the bowl and Liam leaves with a knowing smile.

-

Niall is sitting on his chest. 

"Mrmh?" Harry says.

Niall slaps him awake.

"What the- what?" Harry rubs his eyes.

"Lou let me in, I need money for pizza, and I find _this_ in your pants pocket?!" Niall whisper screams, waving the little box so close to Harry's face he gets dizzy.

"Pizza? Niall it's like _seven-_ "

"That's beside the point, you asshole! Are you asking Louis to marry you?" 

"I mean," Harry looks away. "Like, I dunno?"

"What the fuck, fucking do it you dumb shit he's bloody in love with you and you're not gonna find another man like that in a million years, the other day he told me this joke where-"

"Wait, is Louis here?" Harry almost has a panic attack.

"He's in the kitchen with the cat, when did you guys get a cat?" Niall says.

"Christ, stop making so much noise, he'll hear you!" Harry clamps a hand over Niall's mouth. He knows from experience how thin the walls are, if the neighbors' complaints are anything to go by when Louis and Harry get a bit to loud.

Niall licks his hand until Harry lets go. "Just get it done before Christmas, you hear me?" Niall demands.

"Fine, whatever."

"Now, you got ten bucks? Pizza doesn't buy itself."

"In the other pants pocket," Harry groans, shoving his face into the pillow. This ring will be the death of him.

-

Word must get out, because Harry receives a subscription notice to _The Bridal Guide_ addressed to him from Zayn. Harry flushes it down the toilet because Louis might see it in the trash, and he sets his alarm five minutes earlier in the morning so he can get to the mail before Louis and intercept the wedding magazines that will start arriving soon. Harry needs better friends, honestly.

-

Christmas gets closer and Niall starts giving Harry increasingly dirtier looks. And he's going to ask him, he really is, but there's gifts to buy and parties to plan and cookies to bake, and suddenly it's December 26th and there are nine messages from Niall in his phone with the question: _did u do it???_ and _DId YoU DO IT???_ and _i swear t fUCKIN GOD HARRY IF YOU HAVENR FUCKIN ASKD HIM YET_ and other angry punctuation. Harry feels like a failure. 

And then there's something intimidating about the first month of the New Year, because it's all fresh starts and new beginnings and Harry can't bring himself to fulfill New Year's Resolutions to lose weight and also fulfill the Life Resolution to put a ring on it already. And Harry can't propose in February, because that's Valentine's Day season and that's cheesy. So it's March suddenly. Niall has started sending him death threats. Harry's life is a joke.

\- 

Dinner. Harry has it all planned, all good to go. He calls to triple check the reservations. He calls again after that and the waitress tells him to "grow a pair." The cat is fed, The Great British Bake-Off is set to record while they're gone, and Harry knows for a fact that the house a block away is still for sale. 

And he's going to do it. It's happening tonight. Harry is going to ask him, and based on a quiz he took online, there's only a seven percent chance Louis will say no. Which is actually so terrifying Harry is about to piss himself, but there's a ninety-three percent chance that he will say yes, and that's. That's everything. 

-

"Harry, babe, stop doing that foot thing," Louis pats his knee under the table. Harry hadn't noticed his whole leg was tapping up and down until then. "You okay? You look a little pale. We don't have to stay for dessert, you know, if you're not feeling well-"

"No!" Harry stammers. "No, you're welcome- I mean, thanks, no, I'm fine, um- I need- bathroom-" 

Harry stands up on wobbly legs and manages to get himself to the bathroom before collapsing into an incoherent mess. 

"I can't I can't I can't _do_ this," he whispers into the phone.

"Yes you can, just get it done you piece of shit Louis doesn't want to marry some coward who can't get out four words," Niall barks back at him. "Just four, Haz, _will you marry me._ Say it with me. Will you marry me."

"Will you marry me," Harry repeats.

"No. But go ask Louis the same question and I promise you he'll say yes and then kiss your face."

"Okay," Harry says weakly.

"Go get your man, Styles," Niall says before hanging up.

Harry walks back out on shaky legs, and as soon as Louis sees him he stands up. "We're going home, you look like you're going to throw up," he announces. 

"No-"

"C'mon, H, I'll make you some tea." Louis takes his hand and starts leading him away. 

"Lou-"

"It's fine, c'mere, let's get you home."

Harry is so in love with him, but the ring is still in his pocket and _oh shit this is not how this was supposed to go._

Louis rests his hand on Harry's thigh, just a few inches below the bulge from the box, as he drives. Harry wants to cry. Embarrassingly enough, he actually does. 

"Hey, hey," Louis fusses as they park outside the building. "What's the matter?" 

"I don't- Lou, oh my God, this is too much," Harry babbles.

"What is, baby?" Louis asks, obviously concerned. Harry doesn't blame him, he's pretty worried about himself at the moment.

"The- I can't- the house is gonna get sold, oh God-"

"C'mon, love, let's get you to bed." Louis guides him out of the car with an arm steady around his waist. "Shh, it's okay, calm down." 

At the sight of Oliver the cat (who was, in fact, a boy), Harry bursts into fresh tears. Louis sits him down on the bed and takes off his shoes and pants and jacket and button down until he's left in his tee shirt and boxers and socks. Harry knows for a fact that the box with the ring in it is somewhere in the pocket of those pants on the floor. 

"Sleep now, okay? You're really freaking me out, Haz, get some rest," Louis says, tucking him in under the covers. 

"M'sorry," Harry mumbles. Now that Louis mentions it, he is exhausted from the stress. 

"Go on, I'll be here when you wake up," Louis promises. 

_And that's what being married is, really,_ is Harry's last thought before he falls asleep. 

-

The clock says 4:16 when Harry wakes up. Going to bed so early probably didn't help his insomnia. Louis is breathing softly next to him, arm around Harry's waist protectively even though Harry's the bigger one. Louis has always been the one looking after Harry. And Harry just wants to marry him so bad. He feels sick just thinking about it, how he had an absolute breakdown instead of just fucking _asking him._

There's no way in hell he's getting back to sleep now. Harry rolls out from under Louis and shuffles to the kitchen. He pours himself a bowl of cereal and sits at the kitchen table and silently hates himself for being such a wimp. 

And Louis is just. He's everything Harry ever wanted, and ever will want, and the only thing Harry needs now is to say I Do. 

"Haz?" Louis stands in the doorway, squinting against the kitchen light through his glasses that are crooked on his face, his hair sticking up in all directions, soft and tired in his plaid pajama pants and one of Harry's long sleeved shirts. 

"Marry me," Harry blurts before he can think of anything else. 

Louis blinks. "Okay," he says, like it's always been that simple. Harry thinks maybe it has. 

It takes a few moments to process what just happened though, and Louis is still standing there looking like the most beautiful thing Harry has ever seen, and Harry isn't sure if this is real. 

"What," Harry stares up at Louis. 

"Okay," Louis repeats. "Jesus, is this what's been bothering you? Because I would've said yes, you know. Probably would've said yes on the first date. Like, it's always been my intention to marry you, Harry Styles, and I can't believe you thought for a second that I'd-"

Harry cuts him off when he tackles him in a hug. "Oh my God," he breathes, sagging against Louis with exhaustion and _relief,_ and he's so happy he thinks his heart will burst. 

"You bloody idiot," Louis says into Harry's neck. 

"Oh my God," Harry says again. "Lou, thank God, I was going to do it last night, I really was, and I bought the ring the day we met, you know, I still have it, it's in my pants pocket from yesterday, I can go get it now, I just- I love you so much, I really do-"

"Don't start crying on me again, I had enough of that during your nervous breakdown," Louis teases. 

It's too late. Harry sniffles and Louis rolls his eyes but beams at him with so much fond that Harry's knees nearly buckle. 

"The day we met?" Louis asks. His eyes are so bright Harry can't get enough air into his lungs. 

"Yeah," he says breathlessly. 

Louis kisses him then, both hands on his face, and Harry thinks he might actually explode. 

"I love you too, even though you're absolutely by far the dumbest person I've ever known," Louis murmurs. 

And yeah, Harry can live with that.

**Author's Note:**

> FEEDBACK COMMENTS KUDOS ANYTHING PLS I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER THANKS FOR READING YOURE ALL BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFUL PEOPLE
> 
> twitter: @beaconhillslou  
> tumblr: compassftship


End file.
